Leonardo DiCaprio Slams Idaho’s Wolf ‘Eradication Campaign’
The Wolf of Wall Street star took to social media to stand with the scientists who are fighting to protect the state’s grey wolves.
Oscar-winning actor and long-time environmentalist, Leonardo DiCaprio has spoken out against the killing of Idaho’s wolves, urging the state to relist the animals under the Endangered Species Act.
He joins the growing list of scientists, conservationists, and welfare organizations who are calling on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to immediately restore wolves’ federal safeguards to protect gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains.
Writing on Twitter to his 19.3 million followers, the keen environmentalist said:
“Yesterday, Idaho began an eradication campaign that could slash the number of Gray Wolves living in the state by 90%," tweeted the actor. "I support the 400 scientists asking @potus & @SecDebHaaland to protect Gray Wolves in the Northern Rockies & #relistwolves under the Endangered Species Act.”
Yesterday, Idaho began an eradication campaign that could slash the number of Gray Wolves living in the state by 90%.
— Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) July 2, 2021
I support the 400 scientists asking @potus & @SecDebHaaland to protect Gray Wolves in the Northern Rockies & #relistwolves under the Endangered Species Act. pic.twitter.com/y0demQAD9y
The actor’s tweet comes as the slaughter of Idaho’s wolves gets underway. Up to 90% of the state’s 1,500 wolves will be killed in the coming months due to new legislation signed into law earlier this year.
Under this new legislation, hunters and hired private contractors have almost unrestricted killing methods. They are able to trap and snare wolves, including their newborn pups, shoot the animals from moving vehicles such as airplanes and snowmobiles, and use night-vision goggles to kill the wolves in their dens. It is unclear how many wolves have been slaughtered so far.
Wolves elsewhere in the Northern Rocky Mountains are facing pressure too, with several states passing legislation or implementing management choices that may drive the species back to the verge of extinction. Montana Senate Bill 314 was passed in April, allowing hunters to kill up to 85 percent of the state's wolves, while in Wisconsin, a February hunt resulted in the deaths of 216 wolves in less than 60 hours, greatly surpassing the state's authorised quota.
Michelle Lute, a conservationist and scientist with Project Coyote, a nationwide organization that works to promote coexistence between wildlife and people, says the new laws will have far-reaching consequences for the entire ecosystem.
“I think the risks can’t be overstated, because wolves are such an important apex predator that have cascading benefits to ecosystems,” she said. “So what’s at risk is not just the population of wolves in the Northern Rockies, and in the Great Lakes, but to whole ecosystems that benefit from having predators on the landscape.”
Long-time Champion of Environmental Issues
DiCaprio is a passionate environmentalist who has long-used his platform to raise awareness and funds for biodiversity conservation, ocean and forest conservation, and climate change. He is the founder of the nonprofit, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which has awarded more than $80 million in grants to over 200 environmentalist projects. Having produced several documentaries on environmental and animal issues, the Academy-Award Winner has also used the power of film to draw attention to climate-related issues. His 2016 film, “Before the Flood,” racked up 60 million views in just three months, making it one of the most viewed documentaries ever.
More stories:
Species Unite
A collection of stories of those who fight the good fight on behalf of animals.
“While wolves are protected, they do very well, and when they lose protections, that recovery backslides,” warns a leading conservation group.